Introduction to cellular and molecular biology: The cell. DNA, RNA. Proteins. Lipids and cell membranes
Forces at the molecular level: Viscous forces. Elastic forces. Thermal forces. Chemical forces. Thermodynamics of living systems.
Molecular biophysics: Molecular motors. Mechanics of biological polymers. Molecular switches. Ionic channels. Single molecule techniques.
Cellular biophysics: The neuron. The muscle. Mechanotransduction. Mechanosensation.
- J. Howard, "Mechanics of Motor Proteins and the Cytoskeleton", Sinauer Associates, inc. Publishers
- "An introduction to single molecule biophysics", edited by Yuri L. Lyubchenko, CRC Press
- G.M.Cooper and R.E.Hausman “La Cellula – un approccio molecolare” Piccin Editore
- ERIC R. KANDEL, JAMES H. SCHWARTZ, THOMAS M. JESSELL, STEVEN A. SIEGELBAUM, A. J. HUDSPETH, “PRINCIPLES OF NEURAL SCIENCE", Fifth Edition, McGraw-Hill
- Daniel Johnston and Samuel M. Wu, "Foundations of Cellular Neurophysiology", A Bradford Book
Learning Objectives
The course aims to provide the foundations of modern molecular biophysics, illustrating numerous examples of the application of physical principles to biological systems and describing the main scientific publications that have contributed to delineating molecular biophysics. These fundamentals will be used to describe complex cell systems such as neuron and muscle and cellular processes such as mechanotransduction and mechanosensation
Prerequisites
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Teaching Methods
Classes
Further information
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Type of Assessment
Oral exam
Course program
Introduction to cellular and molecular biology
• The cell
• DNA, RNA. The chain of protein synthesis.
• Proteins (primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary structure)
• lipids and cell membranes
Forces at the molecular level
• viscous forces:
- i) molecular bases of viscous forces ii) Reynolds number
• elastic forces:
- i) the molecular basis of elastic forces ii) Overdamped dynamics of proteins, cytoskeleton and cells
• thermal forces:
- i) Boltzmann's Law ii) Equipartition theorem iii) Brownian Motion iv) mean square displacement
• chemical "forces":
- i) Enzymes ii) Conformational changes iii) Enzymatic kinetics iv) Bimolecular reactions v) Eyring’s and Kramers’ theory vi) reaction coordinates vii) dependence of reactions with electric potential and force
• Thermodynamics of living systems: free energy, entropy, order
Molecular biophysics
• molecular motors:
- i) processive and non-processive motors. ii) linear and rotary motors iii) chemo-mechanical cycle. iv) mechanical regulation of processivity. v) thermal ratchet
• mechanics of biological polymers:
- i) cytoskeleton ii) DNA iii) force-extension curve of macromolecules and DNA iv) "worm-like chain" models
• Molecular switches:
- i) Lac repressor and gene regulation. ii) Facilitated diffusion
• Ion channels, voltage-gated channels and mechanosensitive channels
• single molecule techniques: i) Single-channel recording ("patch clamp") ii) Single-molecule optical microscopy iii) Atomic force microscopy iv) Optical tweezers v) Magnetic tweezers
Cellular biophysics
• the neuron
- i) membrane potential ii) action potential iii) neuronal networks iv) nerves, muscles, synapses v) Measurement and induction of electrical signals in cells: "patch clamp", electrostimulators, voltage-sensitive dyes, optogenetics.
• The muscle
- i) excitation-contraction coupling ii) filament sliding theory iii) mechanical regulation of muscle contraction iv) Measurement of muscle contraction from single molecules to single cells
• Mechanotransduction and mechanosensation
i) Mechanotransduction: conversion of mechanical signals into biochemical and electrical signals. i) Cellular development and mechanotransduction. ii) Adesion and mechanotransduction. iii) Force microscopy iv) Measurements of viscoelasticity and cellular rigidity. v) Mechanobiology cell models.
ii) Mechanosensation: the ear i) processing of acoustic waves in the ear ii) hairy cells iii) mechanotransduction and mechanosensation